Bruce Beach Canada

In Illinois, the Yorkville City Council okayed the next agreement needed to begin receiving water from Lake Michigan. Because the city is currently drawing water from an aquifer expected to diminish in the coming years, it is joining the DuPage Water Commission which purchases and transports Lake Michigan water from the city of Chicago. Read the full story by WSPY – Plano, IL.

According to American Iron and Steel Institute, steel mills in the Great Lakes region, clustered mainly along the south shore of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana, made 586,000 tons of metal in the week that ended March 9. This represents an increase of 3.5%, despite national steel production trailing last year’s pace by 3.3%. Read the full story by The Times of Northwest Indiana.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will be collecting over 23 million walleye fry starting March 18 through April 12, raising them to fingerling size and stocking Muskegon-area rivers, ponds and lakes. Experts say this helps keep the walleye population up, which is essential for many inland lake ecosystems. Read the full story by WZZM-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.

On Monday, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 253 into law, requiring the installation of life rings every quarter mile along Lake Michigan’s Indiana shore. Read the full story by WNDU-TV – South Bend, IN.

This winter saw record low ice cover across the Great Lakes, which are among the fastest-warming lakes in the world. However, less ice means ships can travel longer, leading some to wonder whether the shipping season could be extended, a potential silver lining of declining ice. Read the full story by WUWM – Milwaukee, WI.

In what may be the first announcement of its kind in the state, the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association plans to reveal the identity of its latest shipwreck discovery during a live event later this month in Holland, Michigan. Read the full story by MLive.

Request for Proposals: Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework Small Grants

Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission today issued a request for proposals (RFP) to support participation in the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) and implementation of priority Phragmites management actions. Indigenous Nations, U.S.-based state or local units of government, lake

Lake Superior is one of the fastest-warming lakes in the world. As national parks around the United States try to raise awareness about climate change, those around Lake Superior are taking steps to cut their emissions. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.

The Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy was awarded a grant totaling over $48,000 to assist coastal communities and Tribes in Michigan’s upper peninsula address coastal hazards. Read the full story by Soo Leader.

With the warmer-than-average temperatures and lack of snow this winter, what will that mean for the water levels across the Great Lakes this spring and summer? Scientists say we can expect “larger beaches and shallower water” this year. Read the full story by WWJ – Detroit, MI.

Oneida, a First Nation south of London, Ontario, says compensation from the federal government in a class action settlement will be a relief for members who haven’t had clean drinking water in years. After a years-long court battle, Ottawa opened the First Nations drinking water settlement process in 2022, offering compensation up to $8 billion to First Nations that have suffered for long periods under drinking water advisories. Read the full story by CBC.

The Soo Locks, a gateway on the St. Mary’s River between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes, will open on the evening of March 22, kicking off the 2024 shipping season three days earlier than originally planned. Read the full story by the Star Tribune.